Which type of "milk" is right for you? Let's compare!

If you’ve swapped your cow’s milk for goats milk or a plant-based alternative recently, you’re not alone! Research shows that 1 in 3 Brits now drink plant-based milk¹.

But how do different types of milk stack up? Are plant-based ‘milks’ a suitable nutritional replacement for traditional dairy milk? In honour of world milk day, let’s take a look!

Why do we drink milk?

Milk is packed full of nutrients and has been a household staple for generations across the western world². The benefits of (dairy) milk consumption for your health have been – and still are – widely researched and promoted. Milk contains a variety of nutrients that can help support your health and reduce your risk of common nutrient deficiencies³ from protein and fat to vitamin B12, B2, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, iodine and more⁴. Your choice of milk type might be influenced by health reasons, ethics, diet or plain old personal preference – nowadays there is a milk for everyone.

Let’s compare!

Below you’ll find a table comparing the nutrient composition of 100ml of goat⁵, cow⁶, almond⁷, soy⁸, coconut⁹ and oat milk¹⁰.

	Goat (whole)	Cow (whole)	Almond	Soy	Coconut	Oat
Energy	61kcal	66kcal	22kcal	39kcal	50kcal	57kcal
Fat	3.5g	3.7g	1.1g	1.8g	1.2g	2.8g
*of which saturates*	2.4g	2.4g	0.1g	0.3g	1g	0.3g
Carbohydrates	4.3g	4.7g	2.4g	2.5g	9.8g	6.6g
*of which sugars*	4.3g	4.7g	2.4g	2.5g	4.1g	4.1g
Fibre	0g	0g	0.4g	0.5g	0.2g	0.8g
Protein	2.8g	3.5g	0.4g	3g	0.1g	1g
Calcium	120mg	124mg	120mg*	120mg*	120mg*	120mg*

* These milks are fortified with calcium.

As you can see, the nutrient profiles differ greatly. Of course, variations will occur between brands, so do have a look next time you’re in the supermarket.

Dairy milk provides the most energy and fat, while coconut and oat milks provide more carbohydrates. All four plant-based milks provide a little bit of fibre, while goat, cow and soy milks provide more protein.

Dairy milks are also a great source of other nutrients such as phosphorous, potassium, iodine, vitamin A and magnesium¹¹, while plant-based alternatives often are not. That being said, many plant-based milks these days are fortified with calcium and vitamin B12 – (nutrients typically found in dairy) as well as vitamin D. Research also shows that emulsifiers, which we often find in plant-based milk to increase shelf-life, can have negative effects on your gut bacteria¹², so if you can – make your own plant-based milk at home to avoid the additives.

So, which one should I go for?

All milks have their pros and cons. Nutritionally speaking, plant-based milks are not a like-for-like replacement for dairy milk. They can be a great addition however; adding alternative kinds of milk into your diet is a great way of increasing flavour and diversity.

As you know, we’re a fan of goats’ milk here at Chuckling Goat, and it forms the base of our Kefir! Goat milk is nutrient-rich and has hypoallergenic properties due to the A2 casein content, making it less inflammatory than cow milk¹³. You can read more here about 7 reasons why you should be eating goat dairy rather than cow dairy, and 5 health benefits of goat milk.

Take away messages

Plant-based milks are not like-for-like nutritional replacements for dairy milk
Emulsifiers added to plant-based milks can have a negative effect on your gut – make your own if possible!
Goats milk is less inflammatory than cow’s milk

Which type of “milk” is right for you? Let’s compare!

References

Questions? Talk to a Nutritional Therapist on live chat!

More from The Gut Health Express

As Featured In